Presentation delivered at the PDST Music Autumn 2021 workshop. Aimed at post-primary classroom Music teachers in Ireland.

Composing with Found Sounds at SC

BEAT-BASED COMPOSING ASSIGNMENT

Aim To create a rhythmical piece that includes examples of 'acousmatic' and pitched found sounds.

Suggested Parameters - Duration: 60" - Element 1: Rhythm on at least two tracks. - Element 2: At least one acousmatic sound. - Element 3: Use a pitched sound at some stage. - Program: Audacity

REASONS FOR COMPOSING BEAT-BASED PIECES

1. recognise and adapt inherent rhythms; 2. be precise when editing and placing sounds; 3. explore processing effects and to 4. build a structure.

Produced by the <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/~truax/wsp.html">World Soundscape Project</a> at Simon Fraser University

SOUNDSCAPE COMPOSING ASSIGNMENT

Aim To locate the listener in an aural landscape using 'raw', untransformed found sounds.

Suggested Parameters - Duration e.g., 30" or 40-60" - Location e.g., background / foreground sounds - Sounds given in folders/ limited number/ edits required - Program: Soundtrap

Write down three ways in which this short piece resembles the audio in the video clip you have just heard.

HAIRCUT BEATS

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w-Fe8nrup4">JJ Riordan</a>

1. Being musical. 2. Trimming sounds to make precise lengths. 3. Highlighting the strong beats. 4. Creating different timbres from existing sounds. 5. Changing the pitch of found sounds. 6. Judging when and where to insert each sound. 7. Using repeats effectively. 8. Creating a balance so that sounds can be heard. 9. Having a structure.

<a href="https://www.sfu.ca/~truax/vanscape.html">Link to the two projects</a> (including audio clips)

Using one audio file at different speeds in two tracks.

TWO LISTENING RESOURCES for TY

Luc Ferrari: Presque Rien No 1 - 1967

... 'concrete' sounds ... aural slideshow ... realistic portrayal of a fishing village ... minimalist

Listen to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C6XlF_2VrQ">edited version</a> of the audio (20'46") on YouTube.

Track 1: Clock Track 2: Clock Track 3: Ball Track 4: Rustling paper Track 5: Brushing (teeth) Track 6: Closing washing-machine Track 7: Cutting paper Track 8: Bottle motif Track 9: Opening bottle Track 10: Hissing water

In Spring 2022, we will include found sounds in our Soundtrap workshop. See you there, in person, we hope!

1. Sea 2. People outside (NB No reverb) 3. Seagull 4. Ship horn 5. Dog outside 6. Ice cream van 7. Cables hitting off masts on small boats

Real-World - Farmscape - Prisonscape - Stablescape - Kitchenscape - Volcanoscape - Officescape - Garagescape - Hospitalscape - Trainscape

Imaginary - Mouthscape - Moonscape - Dreamscape - Mindscape - Cloudscape - Futurescape - Planet of Mirrors

1. What is the location? 2. Identify two continuous background sounds. 3. Identify two short foreground 'events'. 4. How is pitch used? 5. How does the soundscape end?

COMPOSING with FOUND SOUNDS at SENIOR CYCLE Autumn 2021

1. Awareness of the Environment. 2. Applying Composing Techniques. 3. Learning to use the Software.

Related topics: (i) Cop 26 (Climate change conference in Glasgow) and (ii) the cry of the curlew (Only 34 breeding pairs left in Ireland.)

Making a 3-note motif from one pitched sound.

LIST 6 SOUND SOURCES shown in this clip

THE EVERYDAY ENSEMBLE

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPU3NefyktQ">Adam Smith</a>

Name

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